Elf the Musical cast reveal why they are ‘over the moon’ with Will Ferrell’s Asda Christmas ad

The cast of Elf the Musical say that Asda will be making Santa’s nice list this year after its Christmas advert helped ticket sales.

The ad shows Will Ferrell’s Buddy, from the 2003 movie Elf, being given a trial shift in the supermarket and inevitably causing chaos as well as festive magic.

The movie and West End show both follow the story of happy-go-lucky Buddy (played by Simon Lipkin on stage), who was raised in the North Pole and grew up believing that he was an elf — only to discover that he is in fact human. Buddy then heads to New York to find his father and discover who he really is.

Speaking to the Standard after the press night on Thursday, Tom Chambers — who plays Buddy’s curmudgeonly dad Walter Hobbs — said: “We’re very grateful to Asda because the serendipity of that moment has absolutely catapulted the consumer awareness of the fact that Elf is actually on at the Dominion Theatre in town.”

“The producers are over the moon with the ticket sales,” agreed Lipkin.

Asked about the challenge of taking on such a beloved character, Lipkin — who is no stranger to Chritmas films himself having appeared in Nativity 3 — said it was “intimidating”.

“It’s intimidating because it’s Will Ferrell and he’s the best, like, he’s untouchable. So in all honesty, I figured I can’t do an impression and I think that would shift the audience. So I tried to capture the spirit of what he brought to the role, but make it my own,” he said.

“Hopefully people like it, they have a good time and I make them laugh, smile and feel nice things.”

Chambers — who won Strictly Come Dancing in 2008 and whose past TV credits include Holby City, Casualty and Waterloo Road— said his portrayal of Walter hasn’t gone down well with his young daughter.

He explained: “I was practising my lines at home and my daughter Poppy, who is only four, was in the room and she was like ‘no, I don’t want you to be like that!’ I said, ‘Don’t worry, I’m only pretending, it’s not real’.”

Chambers is excited that all three of his children will be coming to see the show after Christmas with his wife Clare, so hopefully Poppy will be more approving then.

“It’s very difficult to describe what it feels like to stand in front of two and a bit thousand people and hearing them laugh and cheer and be happy after everything we’ve been through in the last few years. To just hear joy,” added Lipkin.

You can read Nick Curtis’ review of Elf the musical for the Standard here.

The show is running at the Dominion Theatre until January 7; buy tickets here